Wendy Kachermeyer

By Wendy Kachermeyer
Director of Religious Education

We must keep the fire roaring that is within our souls. lf we don’t feed the spirit it will shrivel up and become bland and indifferent to Christ and His Holy Church and we will become spiritually dead! Pursue and seek more…there is 2000 years of knowledge waiting for our eyes, ears and heart to consume. We need to research and respond to this journey we are on with Christ.

Reading: A must to help curb our appetite for God !
Reading Holy Scripture is very important for us to enrich our life and to understand the connection with the New and the Old Testaments and ourselves. My advice would be to join a scripture study group within your or nearby Catholic Church. lf you would like a deeper understanding of scripture where some of your thoughts will be challenged go to the Catholic Biblical School Program at cbstudies.org. You will realize more truth about scripture than your mind can imagine, if you attend even one year at the Catholic Biblical School your pre conceived thoughts will be tested and enhanced for a greater truth in scripture.

lf we want to know what the Catholic Church teaches about the many topics and issues of the world yesterday, today and tomorrow read the Vatican II documents and the writings of the Pope’s (They are worth the time to read). Listed are a few more ideas for interesting reading.

• Catechism of the Catholic Church, United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, Catechism for Youth
• Writings of the Early Church Fathers
• Go and Make Disciples
• Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord
• Rediscover Catholicism
• Lives of the Saints: St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), St. Faustina (Divine Mercy in my Soul), St. Teresa of Avila (lnterior Castle), St. Augustine (Confessions), St. Kateri Tekakwitha (First Native American Saint) St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (First American Saint) etc. Find a saint you feel connected to and relish their journey to sainthood. The one thing all the great saints had in common is an un-disturbing love for the Blessed Sacrament.

Technology: Watch videos and go to websites.
Many videos are available at the click of a button on a computer, search for something that is desirable to you personally. lf you’re a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Roman Catholic Church in Dunkirk, New York use the video lending library stationed in the rear of the Church.

Some websites are: ewtn.org, wordonfire.org, usccb.org, Vatican.va, buffalodiocese.org – these sites are filled with documents and resources that we should always take advantage of especially when we want to continue our journey within Christ’s Catholic Church.

There is so much more than the short list above, however I think this is a good start to temporarily quench the thirst that Christ has created in us. Always start your quest with prayer. Always remember Christ is with you. Always keep yourself open to the workings of the Holy Spirit.

Wendy Kachermeyer is Director of Religious Education and R.C.I.A (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, Dunkirk, NY.